The Great Heavenly Sword Emperor - Chapter 88

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#088. Residual Echo (3)

Several days after Cheon Mujgyeol awoke, the two of them set out once more toward the Old Saryeong Cult Headquarters.
With Gwang-an having prepared travel expenses and supplies, they were able to begin their journey with ease of mind.
Above all, unlike their journey to the Dongbang Sega, they no longer had to worry about sleeping rough, which gave Cheon Mujgyeol the greatest peace of mind.
The two traveled without incident.
As they journeyed, Cheon Mujgyeol patiently answered Bukgung Danya’s questions about martial techniques, fostering his growth.
Had the Dongbang Sega been the end of their path, perhaps it would have mattered less, but with conflict against the Saryeong Cult now inevitable, Bukgung Danya’s advancement was essential.
When they needed to rest during their travels, the two stopped at a nearby village.
They had no intention of staying the night—merely entering a small restaurant that served simple fare, and waited for their food to arrive.
“Young Master.”
At Bukgung Danya’s call, Cheon Mujgyeol looked toward him.
“This may seem like an odd question, but during the time you lay unconscious… did something happen?”
At Bukgung Danya’s question, Cheon Mujgyeol simply regarded him with a faint look of puzzlement.
“I’m not certain what it is, but somehow it feels as though you’ve changed.”
“What makes you think that?”
“It’s difficult to explain precisely, but your presence seems different.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. For one thing, you smile now, unlike before……”
At those words, Cheon Mujgyeol smiled faintly.
“Like that, for instance. And somehow, your bearing feels different too.”
Cheon Mujgyeol gazed at Bukgung Danya intently at his words.
‘Has he truly reached a level where he can sense such things?’
In truth, even after his battle with the Dongbang Sega had ended, Bukgung Danya had not slackened in his training.
Whenever an opportunity arose, he devoted himself to practice, and whenever something puzzled him, he asked questions eagerly.
Such efforts, accumulated over time, had allowed Bukgung Danya to continue his steady growth.
“I would not say nothing happened.”
At Cheon Mujgyeol’s answer, Bukgung Danya’s eyes brightened.
“Did you have some sort of realization? You know, there’s a saying—that a person who brushes with death emerges more enlightened. Did you perhaps……”
At Bukgung Danya’s words, Cheon Mujgyeol merely smiled, offering no reply.
It was true that he had entered the threshold of the Gwireul Realm.
But if one were to ask whether there was a vast difference compared to the Mujgeuk stage that came before it, the answer would be no.
He had advanced a stage, yet it was a difference as thin as paper; much remained before he could truly master the Gwireul Realm.
Cheon Mujgyeol himself did not yet acutely sense this new realm.
In that regard, it was remarkable that Bukgung Danya could perceive such a subtle shift.
“I’ll tell you when the opportunity comes.”
“What? When could there be a better opportunity than now……”
Bukgung Danya looked disappointed.
These were the martial techniques of the Cheongeom Daeje himself.
Having no proper knowledge of them and having heard little, he had many questions.
Though he had witnessed Cheon Mujgyeol’s techniques firsthand multiple times, witnessing and understanding were different things.
How did they differ from the techniques of the Bukgung Family? What made them distinct? There was much he wished to know.
But contrary to Bukgung Danya’s eagerness, Cheon Mujgyeol held his tongue.
Bukgung Danya had no choice but to swallow his disappointment and look forward to another time.

* * *

“We’re nearly there. I’m surprised there’s a village in a place like this—bold settlement, or perhaps neglectful.”
Cheon Mujgyeol and Bukgung Danya were approaching what was known as the Old Saryeong Cult Headquarters.
Though still roughly two days’ journey from the exact location, given the distance they had already traveled, they could say they were quite close.
Before the two of them, a small village appeared.
It was a tiny settlement built at the foot of a shallow mountain and its slopes.
“We need to rest anyway—shall we stop for a while?”
At Bukgung Danya’s question, Cheon Mujgyeol simply stared at the village intently, saying nothing.
“Young Master?”
Bukgung Danya called to him cautiously, receiving no response.
It was because Cheon Mujgyeol’s expression was far from ordinary.
“What is the matter?”
When there was no response to his call, Bukgung Danya asked again.
“The energy of that village is not right.”
“Pardon?”
At Cheon Mujgyeol’s words, Bukgung Danya’s eyes widened in surprise as he turned to look toward the village.
Though they were still some distance away, the village appeared utterly ordinary to the eye.
“Surely not phantom energy—no, wait. You said you continued to sense Phantom Energy……”
Bukgung Danya trailed off, recalling what Cheon Mujgyeol had said earlier.
“I sense Phantom Energy. Much more intensely. But whether it is merely an afterimage or genuine Phantom Energy, I cannot say for certain. It’s possible I feel it this way because this place lies close to the Old Saryeong Cult Headquarters.”
He had said that when he was fully awakened, he would be able to distinguish the real from the false, and he had believed it himself—but now, even Cheon Mujgyeol found certainty elusive.
“Should we simply pass by, or shall we investigate?”
Pondering briefly at Bukgung Danya’s question, Cheon Mujgyeol turned his steps toward the village.
He needed to go directly to the village and verify what he sensed to know for certain.
And by familiarizing himself with such situations, he would learn to distinguish with confidence rather than confusion going forward.
Following Cheon Mujgyeol toward the village, Bukgung Danya hastened his steps as well.

* * *

“Whether it’s Phantom Energy or something else, the atmosphere of this village is truly strange. Far more so than that place from before.”
As Bukgung Danya stepped into the village entrance, he frowned at the desolate and oppressive air that hung over it.
Cheon Mujgyeol surveyed the village carefully, his eyes dark and deeply focused.
Indeed, upon entering the village, the Phantom Energy grew palpably stronger.
An old man and several young men approached the pair with welcoming smiles.
“Welcome. We are honored by your arrival.”
At the old man’s greeting, Bukgung Danya felt something amiss and glanced toward Cheon Mujgyeol.
Normally, when outsiders arrived, people would be wary and ask their purpose first.
But these people acted as though they knew who they were, knew why they had come, and welcomed them accordingly.
Now that he thought about it, the old man’s eyes and expression—as well as those of the young men accompanying him—seemed peculiar in ways he could not quite name.
[Something is not right here.]
Bukgung Danya sent the thought transmission first, and Cheon Mujgyeol nodded in agreement.
Whether the Phantom Energy Cheon Mujgyeol sensed was genuine or illusory mattered less than the obvious wrongness of their situation.
“Do you know who we are?”
“Of course we do.”
The old man replied to Cheon Mujgyeol’s question.
“You know us?”
As Bukgung Danya pressed further, the old man nodded.
“Indeed. All who find their way to our village are blessed by Heuksansin’s care and protection.”
At the old man’s words, Bukgung Danya turned to look at Cheon Mujgyeol once more.
“I fear we have come to the wrong place. We have no connection to Heuksansin whatsoever.”
The old man shook his head at Cheon Mujgyeol’s words.
“Whether you are connected to Heuksansin or not is of no importance. What matters is that you have found your way to our village, whether by chance or by some other pull. This is all the guidance of Heuksansin, and it is our duty and honor to receive Heuksansin’s guests with the utmost care.”
[These people have been thoroughly indoctrinated into folk worship.]
At Bukgung Danya’s observation, Cheon Mujgyeol nodded faintly, barely perceptibly.
“Come, let us show you to your quarters. If we were to let you leave, Heuksansin would surely take offense, and misfortune would befall us.”
With the old man pressing so earnestly, the two had no choice but to comply.
Moreover, they had not yet confirmed whether this village had any connection to the Saryeong Cult, so departure was even less an option.
“We are grateful. Then, we will accept your kindness.”
Cheon Mujgyeol accepted the old man’s unsettling hospitality, and the elder, pleased, led the two to where they could rest.

The house the old man brought them to was empty.
Yet it was kept with remarkable cleanliness and order, as though maintained and cleaned regularly.
“It seems they always prepare for the arrival of guests.”
Bukgung Danya remarked, glancing around the modest room.
“What do you make of it, young master?”
At Bukgung Danya’s question, Cheon Mujgyeol gave a small nod.
“I still understand nothing with certainty. The Phantom Energy is undoubtedly present, yet I cannot be sure whether this village has fallen under its influence.”
“I see.”
After a brief acknowledgment of Cheon Mujgyeol’s answer, Bukgung Danya suddenly spoke again, as though something had just occurred to him.
“But this village—would Gwang-an not have known of it? You said the Old Saryeong Cult Headquarters was examined first.”
He had investigated the Saryeong Cult’s headquarters first, and if Gwang-an had seen a suspicious village like this, there was no way he would have simply passed it by.
In the past, he might have overlooked it, but now was a time when even the smallest details had to be verified and questioned.
So Bukgung Danya’s observation was entirely reasonable.
“It has to be one of two things.”
At Cheon Mujgyeol’s words, Bukgung Danya turned to look at him.
“Either this village wasn’t like this when we confirmed it at Bohyeonsa.”
At that, Bukgung Danya felt goosebumps rise across his skin, and he swallowed dryly of his own accord.
“Or we took an entirely different route and failed to discover it in time.”
“I’d rather it was the latter. If the entire village suddenly changed like this, wouldn’t that be far too unsettling?”
Bukgung Danya rubbed both his forearms with his own hands as he spoke.
Then, they heard footsteps from outside, and both fell silent at once.
“I’m coming in for a moment.”
A young man’s voice reached them, and as the door opened, he entered carrying a low table laden with food.
The table, which was quite large, displayed an array of delicacies.
For a small village that didn’t appear particularly prosperous, it was a remarkably diverse and abundant spread.
“I’ve prepared your meal.”
“For two people, the portion seems excessive.”
“Please eat your fill—there’s no need to leave anything. This is how we in our village honor our guests.”
The young man smiled brightly as he spoke.
Though he’d sensed it from the start, the villagers’ expressions were far too bright.
As if they harbored not a single worry, fear, or concern.
“I understand. Thank you.”
Cheon Mujgyeol offered a curt greeting, and the young man left the room after wishing them to enjoy their meal.
Even after the young man had gone, the two of them could not bring themselves to reach for chopsticks.
Despite the appetizing spread before them, they found themselves unable to eat.
They had no way of knowing what might be in the food.
“It should be safe to eat, shouldn’t it?”
“I’ll taste it first.”
When it came to poison, Cheon Mujgyeol was comparatively far safer.
Bukgung Danya nodded and watched as Cheon Mujgyeol picked up his chopsticks.
Cheon Mujgyeol slowly sampled each dish, one piece at a time.
Bukgung Danya, watching anxiously, turned to him with a questioning look the moment Cheon Mujgyeol set down his chopsticks.
“There’s no poison.”
“Phew…….”
Bukgung Danya released a breath of relief.
Though considerable time had passed, Bukgung Danya remained sensitive when it came to poison.
Only after hearing there was no poison did Bukgung Danya himself pick up his chopsticks.
The meal the village had prepared was delicious.

* * *

“Did they take their meal?”
“Yes. I just brought it in.”
The Old Man who had received Cheon Mujgyeol and Bukgung Danya exchanged brief words with the young man who had brought the food.
“Well done. Now then, let us prepare as well.”
“Yes. I’ll inform the entire village.”
Prepare for what, exactly?
The Old Man’s words carried a meaning that felt strangely ominous.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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